


resentment's getting smaller

by dykerey



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Childhood Friends to Lovers, Established Relationship, M/M, brief mention of panic attacks, excessive use of star wars swears, for sasunaru day 2020, itachi is trying his best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:34:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23046346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dykerey/pseuds/dykerey
Summary: “We are not going exploring in a fragging government building, Naruto. You’re just asking to be arrested.” Sasuke shakes his head, and then: “I’m not bailing you out again if you do happen to be put behind bars. That’s your problem, not mine.”(It had been a nightmare; Naruto had run his mouth a little too much in Corellia, gotten himself into trouble with the local underground mob boss, and had been framed for a crime he never would’ve dreamed of committing. It took Sasuke’s entire bank account and every ounce of diplomacy within his 182 cm frame to wrangle Naruto from the law’s hands. He had a migraine for days afterwards, and Naruto had spent a good number of hours massaging the stress from Sasuke’s head.)
Relationships: Uchiha Itachi & Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 11
Kudos: 63





	resentment's getting smaller

**Author's Note:**

> hello and welcome to my homage to both narusasu and star wars. star wars was (and still is) a very big part of my life, and so writing this felt both incredibly natural and incredibly right. i apologize that it turned into a more sasuke centric piece (as most of my works do) but i just think he is neat :-)
> 
> this does feature itachi in a good light, which i know some people have issues with but this is an au so i can do what i want. i tried to write sasuke and itachi in a more natural sibling type of relationship and thus drew from my real life experiences with my sibling. i love my brother very much but he drives me crazy. also i am sorry for loving itachi so much but hes an infj and im an infj so you should expect nothing less.
> 
> all star wars lore should be correct! i spent hours on wookieepedia making sure everything was A-OK and canon. (fun fact: gay marriage is in fact legal in the sw universe and there is no economic inflation. just something to think about).
> 
> this is a very long A/N so apologies! but this fic is very important to me and while i wrote it in less than a day its something ive wanted to write for a long time. title is from garden song by phoebe bridgers (the line "the doctor put her hands over my liver/she told me my resentment's getting smaller" makes me think of sasuke so much it is almost painful). you can find me on twitter and tumblr as edelsuke.
> 
> also brief heads up: there is a detailed mention of a panic attack. if this bothers anyone, it starts at "Sasuke feels like his world’s been frozen" and ends at "...leave Sasuke with a bitter taste in his mouth."

It had all started when Sasuke was born. The younger son of two bounty hunters who had left behind the high-octane, dangerous life to settle down on Tatooine, he had grown up wild and free, allowed to roam the never-ending sands that gave Tatooine its name and reputation. He knew Huttese, Jawaese, Tusken, Basic, and Binary like the backs of his mother’s sun-hardened, well-worn hands. The ever-changing cast of characters that flew in and out of Mos Eisley had taught him bits and pieces of nearly every language imaginable; he could fumble his way through Twi’leki, make casual conversation in Durese, and could bungle Shyriiwook with the best of them. He could steer a podracer by age six, negotiate with the Jawa and Tusken Raiders by age twelve, and he was saddled up in a cockpit by age fourteen under the condition that he “show[ed] promise” and looked to be “the best pilot Tatooine had ever seen, with the exception of Anakin Skywalker.”

And of course, he hadn’t done it alone.

Naruto Uzumaki, son of both a Galactic Republic Senator-turned-farmer and a former smuggler, had grown up alongside Sasuke, and together they had been through everything. Sasuke wasn’t a sappy or emotional person by any means, but Naruto was without a doubt the heart that beat inside his chest, and life without him was completely and totally unfathomable. Together, they had gotten kidnapped by Tusken Raiders at age seven (in an event that had grounded them both for  _ months _ ), almost consumed by the Sarlacc pit at age ten (in another event that had grounded them both for months), captured by Jabba and his henchmen at age thirteen, and tied first for a podrace at age fifteen. Naruto was the yin to Sasuke’s yang; they completed each other in a way most only dreamed of.

And after twenty-one years together they’re more one person than not, which is why Sasuke thinks Jiraiya’s request is completely unreasonable.

“No,” he says plainly, “I refuse to undertake any job without Naruto. I don’t care.” He levels Jiraiya with his nastiest glare, but the man doesn’t even budge, just continues to simper and stands firm. Kriffing asshole. Everyone who knows  _ anyone _ knows Naruto and Sasuke are a package deal.

“You’re both big boys, you can handle just one little job without him.” Jiraiya pats him on the shoulder and Sasuke flinches so hard he thinks he might have pulled a muscle in his neck. “This one’s time-sensitive, and it needs discretion. I love Naruto like a son, but he isn’t exactly known for his tact in delicate situations like these. Besides, it’s a nice, big payout. Enough for you two to live comfortably for a few months without having to scrounge for credits.”

“We live comfortably enough. We don’t need it. Find someone else to do the job. There are millions of kriffing mercenaries in the galaxy with the credentials you need. I refuse to do it.” Sasuke responds, his expression pinched and his tone acidic. Jiraiya has never steered them wrong before but asking him to embark upon a job alone is crossing lines everyone knows exists. Sasuke trusts no one else to watch his back, to cover him when things get hairy. They’ve been together for so long they don’t even need words to communicate; just a single nod from Naruto and they move in sync, decimating any enemies in their path. Their style’s more suited for simple escort jobs, for movement of cargo and other goods. Not for any sort of espionage, or whatever Jiraiya’s suggesting.

“I heard Itachi’s involved,” Jiraiya says, his voice singsong, and at this Sasuke freezes. His brother had left Tatooine years ago at age fifteen to go join the Youth Senate on Coruscant. It’s been ten years since then, and he hasn’t heard from him at all, only his name mentioned in passing from his parents maybe once, twice a year. He was only eleven when Itachi left, and he had cried for days with Naruto as his only solace. If he had to guess, he would say that Itachi’s worked his way up the ranks to become a professional bootlicker, and spends his days begging for the support of the general public only to turn around and make policies that spit right back in their faces. In Sasuke’s opinion, that’s all the Senate is good for—raising money and then blowing it all on a law that, in the long run, will harm more than help.

Sasuke fights to keep his face even and his voice low. “I’m not interested.” He spits back, crossing his arms against his chest. His brow has furrowed even deeper, and he knows if he keeps it up Naruto will complain about his wrinkles later. Whatever. He’s dueling for their honor right now, anyways, so if Naruto has anything to say about it, he’ll shut up eventually.

“Oh, really?” Jiraiya says, his smile morphing from a simper to a downright catty grin. “A little birdy told me that—”

“Whatever you’re going to say, save it. I’m not interested, and that’s final.” Sasuke responds, his voice vitriol.

Jiraiya merely shrugs— _ kriffing asshole _ , Sasuke thinks again—and saunters away, leaving Sasuke blessedly, blissfully alone in the booth. The bar that sits five feet away generates some nice ambient noise, and he takes a moment to sigh and place his head in his hands. Turning down jobs is always hard when money’s a little tight, but Jiraiya must have known from the beginning that convincing Sasuke was a lost cause. He hopes the job goes to someone who will treat it with the care it apparently deserves, especially since his long-gone brother’s involved.

When Naruto’s hand touches his neck, he doesn’t flinch at all, just directs his gaze towards his partner. Naruto’s full-faced grin is, as always, completely and utterly blinding, and Sasuke smiles wearily in response. He bats Naruto off his neck, and watches as his companion takes a seat across from him in the booth.

“Was that Jiraiya walking out? Did he have a job for us?” Naruto asks, leaning forward and almost knocking over the drink Jiraiya had ordered and left untouched.

“Yeah,” Sasuke says, reaching to move the drink away from Naruto before destruction occurs in his wake. Naruto smiles sheepishly and settles back into the worn leather of the booth seat. “He had a job, but he said it was only for me. And, before you ask, yes, I turned him down. He said it would be lucrative, and that Itachi was involved, but he knows the deal. He gets both of us or neither of us.”

“Wait, back up.  _ Itachi’s _ involved? And you said no?” Naruto’s tone is incredulous, and his eyebrows have migrated all the way to his ever-receding hairline. Sasuke’s almost offended at his attitude; he knows exactly how Sasuke feels about his brother and his tendency to turn tail and run when things get tough (Itachi had left at the peak of their parents splitting up). “But… why?”

“Have you ever considered that I just don’t want to see him again?” Sasuke asks, feeling more than a little vulnerable. Ten years and Itachi’s still a sore spot, an ulcer he can’t quite seem to get rid of. Naruto was there for all of it, so Sasuke’s not really sure why he’s pushing the subject.

“I think you and I both know that’s not true, Sasuke. You at least want to talk to him and get some closure, right?” Naruto pitches his voice a little softer so any bystanders won’t be able to easily hear what he’s saying. “He up and left without telling you anything. You haven’t heard from him in ten years. It’s okay to want to see him and talk to him again. And it’s okay if you don’t, too. You don’t owe him anything.”

Sasuke resists the urge to roll his eyes. He loves Naruto, but not every conversation about his brother has to turn into a therapy session, even with the sheer amount of issues Sasuke has surrounding him. “That was almost insightful, dead last.” And then, a little softer, more pensive: “I didn’t not take the job because I would have had to see Itachi again. I didn’t take it because I would have had to see Itachi again  _ alone _ .”

Naruto hums, and his hand comes up to brush the hair out of Sasuke’s eyes. He lingers a little longer on his forehead than strictly necessary, and Sasuke gives him a small, private smile. Of course, Naruto gets it. He always does.

“Your hair’s getting a little long. Time for a haircut, maybe?” Naruto says, and from his boot he whips out a dagger. He can barely suppress his smile as he twirls it around his finger with ease, the mark of a practiced mercenary. “I’m good with a knife. I can give you a nice, even cut.”

Sasuke snatches the dagger from his hands and ignores Naruto’s snicker. “Absolutely not. The last time you cut my hair you missed the mark by a full seven centimeters. It took four months to grow it back to my usual length.”

“Aww, but you looked so cute!” Naruto’s grin is a shit-eating one, for sure, and Sasuke tucks his dagger into his boot and walks off, flipping him the bird as he goes. Naruto’s not far behind, and his musical laughter follows Sasuke all the way back to their ship (a Corellian YT-2400). Sasuke’s too preoccupied with Naruto’s beaming smile to notice Jiraiya lingering by the entrance, and when he finally manages to tear his eyes away from Tatooine’s third sun, his face falls flat almost immediately.

“I already told you no.” Sasuke says, his expression stone.

“I can’t trust anyone else with this, Sasuke. You’re the only one.” Jiraiya almost pleads, and the way he’s practically on his hands and knees begging for sympathy makes Sasuke just a tiny bit nauseous. “It’s too sensitive of a job, and you’re the only damn mercenary around where who knows what discretion is.”

Sasuke ignores Naruto’s indignant “hey” from behind him. “I don’t care.” Maybe a little more acerbic than needed, especially because Jiraiya usually saves the better jobs for them, but he’s sick and tired of the man’s begging. A no is a no.

“Look, I—It’s a handsome reward. It’ll line your pockets for a few months.”

“Still don’t care.”

Jiraiya sighs and brings his fingers to his pinched brow. “Your brother’s life is in danger, Sasuke.”

Sasuke hesitates and very pointedly does not meet his eyes, then says: “I don’t care, Jiraiya. Find someone else.”

“For fuck’s sake, Sasuke, it’s a simple mission! Someone is trying to kill Itachi. It’s your job to go investigate the who, the how, and the why, and then dispose of the individual in whatever manner you deem necessary.” Jiraiya heaves another heavy sigh. “Like I said, I can’t trust anyone else with this. Only you can take this job.”

Sasuke only trusts Jiraiya about as far as he can throw him, which really isn’t far at all. He’s never given them a bad job, but there can always be a first. Besides, a job that he has to complete without Naruto isn’t worth doing at all, regardless of how many credits they’ll receive at the end of the day. Sasuke can’t risk it, even if Itachi’s involved.

“Why are you so insistent that only I take this job? What the hell are you planning?” Sasuke demands, taking a step closer to Jiraiya. He brings his hand to rest upon the DC-17 blaster on his hip, his fingers almost twitching with anticipation to shoot. In his peripheral he spots Naruto do the exact same thing and suppresses a smirk. There’s a reason they’re renowned for their battle prowess together, after all.

“You’ve got to be kriffing kidding me.” Jiraiya grunts, and then, with a roll of his eyes: “Don’t be stupid, kid. I’m sending you on a job to see your brother. You’re the only one who can do it. Use your brain.”

A beat of silence, and then Jiraiya: “He asked me to send you. Itachi asked me to send you. Son of a bantha, Sasuke.”

Sasuke feels like his world’s been frozen. His breathing goes fast, light, almost like he’s hyperventilating. The scenery around him blurs, with all the tans and browns and greens and blues mixing into one giant puddle that seems to surround him. He feels his feet leave the ground, and some tiny part of him braces for an impact that doesn’t come, because Naruto, sweet, good, kind, ever-present, ever-patient Naruto had rushed to his side and cradled Sasuke in his arms and laid him down on the ground. Vaguely, he registers Naruto’s gentle hands supporting his neck and stroking his hair from his face. It takes a few minutes for the world to unblur, for the rushing in his ears to slow, and all the while he focuses on Naruto’s face.

“Welcome back,” he says once Sasuke’s sat up, and Sasuke resists the urge to fix him with a dirty look. Somewhere deep within him, he realizes he’s had a panic attack. He hasn’t had one since he was seventeen, back when he and Naruto had first left their homeworld and their first job had gone more than a little sideways. They’re always jarring, always horrible, and always leave Sasuke with a bitter taste in his mouth.

“You good?” Naruto asks gently, and Sasuke manages a nod. Naruto stands and pulls Sasuke up with him, firm and steady. Jiraiya still stands a few feet away, the look on his face more than a little shell shocked.

“Uh. You okay, Sasuke?” The old man looks mortified, like this is somehow his fault. ( _ Well _ , Sasuke reasons,  _ it kind of is _ .)

“Fine, thanks,” he responds curtly, leaning back onto Naruto for support. He feels like the skin’s been ripped off of him, like he’s just skull and bones and a heart beating far too fast and too loud in his ribcage for him to feel comfortable. “I’ll take the job. But Naruto is coming with me.”

He can feel Naruto’s shock emanating from him, but his partner remains blessedly silent.

Jiraiya sighs, again (a common theme, clearly), resigned to his fate. “Fine. But don’t be mad when you don’t receive your payment because the conditions weren’t met.”

“Aw, old man, it’ll be fine! Itachi loves me!” Naruto chimes in, clearly still a little shocked. His thumb presses along Sasuke’s spine in an attempt to ground him, and Sasuke has to resist the urge to collapse back into his arms. “Now give us the details. We’re busy men, you know!”

“Shut up, brat,” Jiraiya grumbles. Naruto just laughs brightly and maneuvers them over to where the old man is, gratefully accepting the chit and entering the ship. Jiraiya waves them off in goodbye, and Naruto waves back enthusiastically while Sasuke gives him the finger.

Job supplier or not, he’s still a kriffing asshole.

In the ship, Naruto acts a proper nursemaid, hovering around and asking Sasuke if he needs anything, if he’s feeling okay, until Sasuke snaps and attempts to bat his ever-moving hands away. Naruto just laughs and presses a kiss to the top of Sasuke’s head. Sasuke goes bright red and doesn’t say a word until takeoff.

Four days and three hyperspace jumps later, they’ve arrived at Coruscant. The planet is overwhelming as usual, all hustle and bustle as thousands of ships fly by in milliseconds, and a hundred of the same ad flash on the billboards placed strategically within one block of each other. Sasuke’s never liked Coruscant and has always tried to avoid jobs here—he’s okay with crowds, but the sheer number of people that coexist in just a single block of the planet-wide city sets him on edge like nothing else. There’s really nothing he can do about it now, though, so he resigns himself to an indefinite time frame spent on the planet that plagues his nightmares.

At least he has Naruto.

Sasuke steers their ship towards docking bay 13, where they were told they would meet Itachi. He feels a little faint just thinking about it, and he suppresses the shaking of his fingers as he activates the landing gear and pulls into the bay. Once the ship has shut down, Naruto bounds into the cockpit (Sasuke has established an “Absolutely No Naruto” rule while he’s landing ships after the incident near Ryloth) with both their packs in tow. Their on-board droid, an R5 unit Naruto had affectionately nicknamed Kurama, follows closely behind him.

“Are you ready, Sasuke?”

Sasuke swallows the lump in his throat and stands. “As I’ll ever be.”

When they disembark (after Naruto has kissed Kurama goodbye), the hangar is devoid of people, with only a few maintenance droids visible on the very edges of the truly giant space.

“Huh,” Naruto says aloud, echoing Sasuke’s thoughts exactly. “Where do you think they are, then?”

“Not here, clearly.”

Naruto just hums and jumps off the platform, more like a five-year-old boy than a galaxy-renowned mercenary. “Maybe we can go explore then! Since we’ve arrived and there’s no one here to greet us.”

“We are not going exploring in a fragging government building, Naruto. You’re just asking to be arrested.” Sasuke shakes his head, and then: “I’m not bailing you out again if you  _ do _ happen to be put behind bars. That’s your problem, not mine.” 

(It had been a nightmare; Naruto had run his mouth a little too much in Corellia, gotten himself into trouble with the local underground mob boss, and had been framed for a crime he never would’ve dreamed of committing. It took Sasuke’s entire bank account and every ounce of diplomacy within his 182 cm frame to wrangle Naruto from the law’s hands. He had a migraine for days afterwards, and Naruto had spent a good number of hours massaging the stress from Sasuke’s head.)

“Aww, you’d miss me too much. Besides, maybe Itachi would do it!” Naruto says cheerily, spinning around to grin at Sasuke.

“Maybe I would do what?” Asks an amused voice from behind Naruto. Naruto spins back around and hops back to Sasuke’s side, close enough to comfort but not to suffocate.

Sasuke lifts his eyes towards their newfound guest.

“Itachi,” he says, a little breathlessly, and Itachi smiles warmly and steps towards them, his arms raised in an attempt to hug.

Sasuke doesn’t know quite what to think, how to feel. Here’s his brother standing in front of him for the first time in ten years, alive and well. He had almost managed to convince himself Itachi had died, or at least was going to; there was no other real explanation for why he up and fucked off all those years ago. Itachi had taught him how to steer a podracer, how to remain hidden in the sand when spotted by a Tusken Raider, how to read the little bit of Mando’a he had known. (Itachi had always had a thing for the Mandalorians, said he admired their tenacity and loyalty to their own. Ironic.) In his memories, which had weathered to the ten years Itachi had been gone like stone to the rolling waves of the sea, he saw Itachi tall, strong, an unmoving pillar, untouched by the turmoil and chaos that had surrounded their parents’ marriage.

Sasuke goes to move, to embrace his brother, but Naruto beats him to the punch. Quite literally.

Naruto rears his hand back and fires, missing only by a margin. Itachi backs up like a spooked horse, his hands still outstretched.

“You’re a fragging asshole, you know that?” Naruto swears fiercely, his tongue like a lash. It shocks Sasuke out of his languid state. “You left him for  _ ten years _ . That’s half of his fragging life! No warning, you just up and left all those years ago! Alone! While your parents were splitting! What the sweet, ever-loving  _ fuck _ is wrong with you, you piece of absolute bantha shit?”

“I can explain—” Itachi starts, but he’s cut off by a growl of all things.

“Yeah. You better.”

Sasuke reaches forward to brush Naruto’s shoulder. Naruto’s always had a near inhuman temper, and he’s worked hard these years to keep it mostly in check, but it slips out sometimes. Sasuke’s there to ground him whenever it happens—usually a single touch from Sasuke helps shake him out of it and remember where he is, who he is, and what he’s doing.

He doesn’t think he’s ever seen Naruto this angry, though. And as concerning as it is, a tiny, private part of Sasuke is secretly pleased that the thing that riles Naruto up the most is people who’ve hurt Sasuke.

“Hey, dead last. Calm down. I’m with you,” he says quietly, and he watches as Naruto’s metaphorical hackles lower. His shoulders slump just a little, and Sasuke knows he’s back.

“Kriff, Sasuke, I’m sorry. I just got  _ so _ angry and I kinda lost it there for a second.” He bemoans, and Sasuke snorts.

“What are you apologizing for? I’m pissed, too. Feeling a lot of things, actually, but mostly I’m pissed off. I’d like an explanation, too.” He directs this last statement towards Itachi, who bows his head.

“And you’ll get one,” Itachi promises, bowing his head again. “Just follow me.”

“Yeah, okay,” Sasuke returns, resting his hand on his blaster. Next to him, Naruto does the same, and then they both follow Itachi through the broad doors and into the hallway.

It’s fancy—almost irritatingly so, with long, red drapes spanning the entire length of the corridor. Gold accents adorn almost everywhere Sasuke looks, catching his eye under the light the chandelier above him gives off. It’s ornate, it’s gaudy, it’s lavish, it’s tacky.

“This place is so Itachi,” Naruto mumbles under his breath, and though Sasuke elbows him he can’t help but agree.

Itachi leads them down the disgustingly extravagant hallway for what feels like forever. Every office they pass looks the same, with the only difference being which senator’s name is carved into the stone beside the door. Finally, their seemingly endless journey comes to an end about five hundred meters down the way, as Itachi pulls out a set of keys and unlocks a door that appears exactly like all of the others. He leads them in and sits in the luxurious chair that resides behind his desk, then gestures for them to sit as well.

Lining the walls are what Sasuke presumes to be his security detail, though he has no clue why Itachi was allowed to retrieve the both of them alone without any protection. Aren’t New Republic senators supposed to be a big deal?

“I’m sure you know why you’re here,” he starts, and Sasuke rolls his eyes.

“Yes, someone’s trying to kill you. I’ll assume it’s because you’re an annoying asshole who doesn’t know how to communicate anything, even to those he supposedly loves.”

Itachi pointedly ignores him in favor of continuing. “I recently proposed a bill in the Senate that has unfortunately been deemed radical, and there are many who feel I am out of bounds in what I suggest. It seems to have angered many, and enough that there have been multiple threats on my life. Only one has been deemed serious enough to pursue further, and I have chosen you and Naruto to investigate.”

“Why not hire a PI or something instead of the family member you abandoned ten years ago who is nowhere near qualified for a mission like this?” Naruto challenges.

“I trust you to take care of the situation in a manner befitting a New Republic Senator. I do not trust a PI to do the same thing.” Itachi says, and Sasuke watches as Naruto digs his fingernails into his palm with a vengeance.

“How can you say you trust us when you haven’t seen us in ten kriffing years?” Naruto’s eyes are cold, his voice steel.

Itachi’s calm smile wavers for a second. “To be completely frank, I wanted to take the opportunity to apologize. I should not have left you alone all those years ago. I admit it was a selfish decision, to part while our parents were going through a rough patch. All I could think when I got the news that I was cordially invited to become a Junior Senator was how relieved I was to be out of such an environment, and I did not think about how it would affect you until after I had already left, Sasuke. I have always cared for you, but I was unsure how to get into contact with you while I was so far away.”

“Bullshit,” Sasuke says harshly, the words scraping at his throat as they exit. His heart has long since dropped to his stomach, and his hands shake with barely concealed rage. “I lived at home until I was seventeen. You could’ve contacted me at any time. Besides, I’ve been making a name for myself since before I left. You’re a  _ doshing _ senator! You could have used any one of your stupid connections to talk to me!”

“You have every right to be angry—” Itachi starts.

“Yeah, he does. So tell us why the hell we should do this for you.” Naruto cuts in, and his anger cuts deeper than a knife. His knuckles are practically white. Though pissed as all hell himself, Sasuke taps Naruto’s foot with his own, a silent reminder to come back down to Coruscant.

“I can pay you handsomely.”

“Money isn’t a concern. What’s in it for us?” Sasuke responds.

“I would just like the chance to apologize, and spend some time getting to know the little brother I left behind.”

“You’re not entitled to my time. Or Naruto’s, for that matter. I think we’ll be taking our leave.” Sasuke feels numb, so numb, as he forces himself to stand up and drags Naruto along with him. His legs have long since lost feeling, and his heart beats a staccato rhythm in his chest. Naruto grips his hand so hard he feels like it might burst, and shoots Itachi a glare as they both move to exit.

“I—please, Sasuke. I am sorry for the years of pain and strife I have caused you. It was not my intention to make you hurt, as I was no more than a child when I left home, same as you. You can choose to never speak to me again, but I selfishly request that you at least complete the task I have asked of you before you go. Like I said, the reward is handsome, and you both will be able to live comfortably for a long time.” Itachi pleads, bowing his head. Sasuke feels adrift all of a sudden, like a sailboat off to sea sans anchor.

Sasuke pauses, ignoring the bile building up in his throat. Every cell in his body is screaming to go, to get the hell out of Itachi’s office and off this parasitic planet, but something deep inside him is rooting him to the spot, and he finds himself unable to move. Despite everything—despite the long years without his brother, and all the hurt and anguish he caused when he left, and the storm that had raged in Sasuke’s heart since then—he misses Itachi, misses him like a phantom limb.

Slowly, surely, Sasuke comes to a decision. The fight melts from his bones and he drags Naruto back towards the seats, keeping a hand on his wrist all the while.

All he can think to say is, “Where do we start?”

\--

They start by first investigating the threat itself. Itachi has an anonymous tip system where he receives feedback, which is pretty much the worst idea Sasuke’s ever heard (he voices this to Itachi, who looks less than pleased). The threat was sent in on a Primeday a few weeks ago, at around three in the afternoon. Have you tracked it, they ask, have you located its source? Itachi’s guards—his useless, horrible guards who have never seen a day of real combat in their life—say no, they were unable to track it.

“Well, are any of you trained in this sort of thing?” Naruto asks, and when they collectively shake their heads, he lets out the biggest sigh Sasuke’s heard from him in a while. “Kriffing hells. Not a single brain between any one of you, I swear.” He takes the computer from the guard currently holding it and hands it right to Sasuke.

Sasuke gets to work. Tracking is easy business; he picked it up a few years ago after a scuffle on Lothal that involved an angry Wookiee and a simpering Mon Calamari. It might be a tad bit more difficult this time around, what with the  _ anonymous kriffing tip system _ Itachi had thought up, but he’s confident he can pull through.

And after four straight hours of toying with the code, Sasuke admits defeat.

“You might want to send this to an expert you trust.” Sasuke says. Then adds: “And maybe get rid of the anonymous tip system so this doesn’t happen again.” It’s worth it for the way Itachi’s face blanches. Ten years have flown by, and still Sasuke knows how to get under Itachi’s skin. Some things never change.

While one of Itachi’s personnel busies themself with finding a tracking expert, Naruto and Sasuke set to work on finding out who opposes Itachi within the senate, and also what all the fuss with the bill is about.

“Well, I believe in equality for all, and I think it’s ridiculous that on our census ballot we still only have two options for gender. We live in a diverse galaxy with a wide variety of species, and I think it close minded to not open up options so those that don’t identify as a male or female don’t feel left out on the census poll.”

“That’s strangely thoughtful,” Naruto says absentmindedly, and Sasuke hides his smile behind his hand. “I really didn’t expect that from you, Itachi.”

Itachi looks markedly confused, and Sasuke thanks all the gods above that Naruto’s with him. Had he not, the air in the room would have been awkward and stale, and the two brothers would have leveled each other with their gazes until they both died in these very chairs. Sasuke has never been much for communication, but Itachi is far worse than he is. At least Sasuke can voice when he’s heading out.

Regardless, it’s far too easy to fall back in with Itachi. Sasuke is still wary, still cautious, but this is his  _ brother _ , his flesh and blood. Ten years cannot wash away the bond they shared, and while Itachi’s arrival still stings, the pain has dulled. Besides, Sasuke understands, kind of. It had been a tumultuous time under their roof, and Sasuke had spent nearly everyday outdoors with Naruto, away from the tense air and charged glares. Itachi had only been fifteen, and Sasuke can’t blame him forever.

“Is there anyone who directly opposes you within the Senate?” Sasuke asks, and Itachi takes a moment to think.

“There are quite a few who disagree with my most recent bill, but my most staunch adversaries are Nagato and Danzo Shimura. They have consistently opposed every single statement I’ve made, regardless of topic.” Itachi divulges, and then motions to a guard. “We’ve had tails put on both of them, but we’d like for the two of you to talk to them, if possible.”

Naruto yawns. “Maybe tomorrow. It’s getting kinda late, isn’t it? Wouldn’t want to bother them past their bedtimes.” His hand reaches up to scratch his head, his mouth hung open, and Sasuke watches on fondly.

“Ah, I apologize. I did not realize the time. Let me show you both to your rooms.” Itachi says. Naruto and Sasuke take a moment to look at each other.  _ Rooms _ ? Naruto mouths to Sasuke, who shrugs in response. He has a feeling Itachi has read the situation completely wrong.

“Um, we’ll just take one, thanks.” Naruto corrects with a smile, and Itachi’s face remains blank as he agrees. Naruto and Sasuke make confused eye contact again and follow as he leads them to their quarters for the “duration of your stay,” as Itachi says.

Once they’re in their room (singular, as it should be), Naruto says, “Is it just me, or is he dumb as a box of rocks?”

Sasuke snorts. “It’s not just you. We probably could have tied the kriffing knot in front of him and he would still be like, ‘Let me show you to your room _ s _ .’”

Naruto frowns and yanks Sasuke over to the bed, pulling him in close. Sasuke relishes in his never-ending body warmth; he’s like a heater that never shuts off. Everything is blissfully, blessedly silent for several moments, and Sasuke feels himself dozing off right as Naruto opens his mouth to speak.

“So today was weird, right? It was weird. Really weird.”

“Yes, Naruto. I saw my brother for the first time in ten years and things almost went south several times. I would be surprised if it  _ wasn’t _ weird.” Sasuke says into his chest, letting himself fall into the up-and-down, back-and-forth rhythm of Naruto’s breathing. It’s easy to lose himself in Naruto after a long, hard day, because Naruto just Gets Him.

“Do you wanna, like…talk about it?”

Sasuke sighs and rolls away from Naruto, splaying his limbs so he’s spread eagle on the bed. “It’s just weird. Did I forgive him too fast?”

Naruto sits up and props his chin in his hand, pursing his lips. “I mean, he  _ is _ your brother and you haven’t seen him in a while. It’s okay to be friendly with him. You missed him, right?” Sasuke gives the barest nod. “Then I think you’re okay. I think you should just keep your guard up, you know? Not that you shouldn’t trust him, but on the off chance that he hurts you again it might hurt a little less if you don’t get attached.”

Sasuke hums in response, sitting up in the bed. “It’s just  _ weird _ .”

Naruto’s responding grin is easy, malleable. “I know, babe, but it’ll only be ‘till we get to the bottom of the mystery. Then, if you want, you don’t have to talk to him ever again, and we can live the rest of our days in blissful luxury, and you can feed me grapes and wash my hair and we can raise tookas and you can name one Anakin like I know you’ve always wanted to.”

Despite himself, Sasuke frowns. “I don’t want that. Not the future with you—I want that, I’ve always wanted that—but the not talking to Itachi. I don’t think I want to do that.”

Naruto shrugs, reaching out to tap Sasuke with his foot. “Then it’s that simple. Just give him your contact information. You don’t have to forgive him now, but you can still want to be around him.”

Sasuke makes a noise in the back of his throat and settles back down into the covers. He’s not really sure he’ll be sleeping tonight; he has far too much to process to even consider the idea. “I guess,” he says, and then gestures for Naruto to fill in the space beside him. Naruto crawls up to join him, attaching himself to Sasuke. Sasuke knows when he wakes Naruto will have somehow shifted to be right on top of him and his hot breath will fill his nose and mouth and he’ll try to move but he’ll find himself unable to because his entire body has been pinned beneath Naruto’s 180cm frame, but really, there’s nowhere else he’ll want to be.

“Go to sleep, sweetheart,” Naruto mumbles lazily, already half-asleep. “I can hear you thinking.”

Sasuke lets the steady rhythm of Naruto’s breath against his neck, a constant inhale-exhale, lull him to sleep.

When he wakes the next morning, Naruto is, as predicted, splayed on top of him, and the way his limbs are arranged prevent any sort of exit. Through groggy, sleep-stained eyes Sasuke fights his way out, shoving Naruto over onto the other side of the bed and freeing himself in the process. Naruto groans, long and drawn-out, and Sasuke ignores him in favor of rising from bed and heading to the fresher to brush his teeth.

When he emerges, feeling significantly cleaner than a few minutes ago, Naruto is back to snoring, his head flung back and his mouth wide open. Sasuke snorts. Naruto, for all his strengths, has always been an ugly sleeper. After so many years, it’s become less annoying and more endearing, much to Sasuke’s chagrin.

“Oi, Naruto. Wake up. It’s morning,” Sasuke says, and when there’s no response, he repeats, louder: “Wake up. It’s morning.”

When Naruto still lies comatose on the bed, Sasuke sighs and lifts a pillow from the chair on the other side of the room. He winds up and then lets it fly, and it hits its mark perfectly: it nails Naruto right in the face, startling him into consciousness. He wakes with a start, and Sasuke smirks as he jolts out of bed.

“Good morning to you, too, asshole,” Naruto grumbles, flipping Sasuke off as he heads into the fresher to ready himself for the day. Once he’s emerged as well, they set off to find Itachi.

“I remember the way to his office, don’t worry,” Naruto gloats, and Sasuke watches on bemusedly as he takes exactly four wrong right turns and eventually looks around and realizes he has no clue where they are. Sasuke grabs Naruto’s arm, traces them all the way back to the start, and then navigates successfully to Itachi’s office. When they enter, everyone is already hard at work, and Itachi lifts his gaze from the stack of papers at his desk to see them.

Sasuke tries very, very hard not to think about how Itachi’s face lights up once he spots them.

Itachi rises from his desk to approach the both of them, sending Sasuke a warm smile. Sasuke crosses his arms and frowns in response—he’s not quite ready to smile at Itachi first thing in the morning just yet. Unfortunately, Itachi is undeterred, and speaks anyways, much to Sasuke’s dismay. “We have not yet received results regarding the tracking of the sender, but we hope to receive them by the end of today.”

“Okay,” Sasuke says. “So, what now?”

“We were thinking you two could go talk to Danzo and Nagato, in the hopes of snuffing out any hidden intentions.”

“Okay,” Sasuke says again. “Just give me their office numbers and we’ll get that taken care of. We’ll have this all solved by lunch.”

“Ah, see, Sasuke, that’s funny—I’ve actually arranged for you two to have lunch with the two of them. It was the only way I could ensure you could speak to them without them slipping away.” Itachi replies serenely, and Sasuke feels his eye twitch. Of course, Itachi had to go and arrange something without telling them; he really doesn’t know why he expected anything less from a grade-A asshole like Itachi. Diplomacy is not Sasuke’s strong suit, nor is it Naruto’s, so this might just possibly be the worst case scenario for the both of them.

“Could I not have messaged asking to meet them? And have met them separately? Did it ever occur to you they might be working together?” Sasuke demands, exhaling sharply.

“Ah…That I did not. I apologize.”

“Is there any way you can call it off?” Naruto inquires reasonably, looking pensive.

“Unfortunately, I cannot. I do not need to give them any more reason to despise me. I merely told them that I had two associates that wanted to meet with them. It is scheduled for one this afternoon. I apologize for any inconvenience, but it looks like you must go through with this.”

“You’re a kriffing asshole, you know that?” Sasuke swears, and then sighs,  _ again _ , resigned to an afternoon full of petty bullshit and politic. “You’re paying for everything.”

“Of course,” Itachi agrees with another bow.

And so, at twelve even they head off, jumping in a transport piloted by a R5 astromech. The droid explains that not only is the destination far off, this is also peak traffic hour, which merits their early leave. Sasuke nods and begins to pace the cabin while Naruto leans back into the seat. He nearly treads a hole through the metal floor before Naruto snaps at him to cut it out and relax. He sinks into the seat next to Naruto, exhaling deeply as he does.

“It’ll be fine, Sasuke. It’s just one lunch. How bad can it possibly be?”

\--

Absolutely fragging horrible, apparently, is the answer. They’re currently sat across from the senators in question. Nagato hasn’t said a single word the entire time (“he’s on the quiet side,” Danzo had offered in a not-so-silent whisper), preferring to hang his head in misery and chew slowly on the meatmunch he had ordered. Why he had chosen  _ meatmunch _ of the entire menu was beyond Sasuke—he would much rather consume the entirety of a kriffing bantha before he even touched meatmunch.

Danzo is his complete opposite. He acts the perfect host and manages to talk about both everything and nothing at the exact same time. The wait for the food they had ordered was complete and utter agony as Danzo prattled on about how lovely the décor of the restaurant was, how incredible the weather was today (and did they know that it was rarely ever sunny on Coruscant?), how delightful the waiter was. Sasuke’s almost torn his hair out by the time their food arrives—he’s ordered Noryath meatbread, his absolute favorite, while Naruto, ever-predictable, ordered Fambaa Delight.

They lock eyes and give a simultaneous sigh of relief, then dig in. In between bites, Danzo dabs his mouth with his napkin and continues to talk on and on. The constant stream of chatter is made bearable only by the most delicious meal Sasuke’s had in a very, very long time.

It isn’t until well into the afternoon when the sun’s high in the sky that they make any headway in their original quest. Danzo leans over the table, his plate clean and his napkin far from spotless, and says, “So you’re both acquaintances of Itachi, yes? How do you know him?”

Sasuke shrugs. Time to bullshit with the best of them. Politicians aren’t good for much more than just spewing hot air, and this lunch has proven that a thousand times over. “Few jobs here and there. He’s a bit of an asshole, but he pays well so we can’t complain too much.”

Danzo hums. “He certainly is interesting; I’ll give you that much. What are you boys in town for?” Sasuke notes that his tone has changed substantially; they’ve surpassed casual conversation and are finally wading into deeper waters. Danzo is testing those waters as they speak.

“Just visiting,” Naruto answers lightly, his shoulders just a hair stiffer than they were a minute ago.  _ So he’s noted Danzo’s change in tone as well _ , Sasuke thinks to himself.

Another hum. Sasuke’s eye twitches. “Visiting Itachi?”

Kriffhead thinks he’s sly, apparently. Danzo, as Sasuke is learning, has never learnt the definition of the word subtlety in his life. “No, we were just in the area, figured we’d drop in to say hello. We mentioned being interested in speaking to the two of you and he set a meeting up for us. For that we’re grateful.”

Nagato speaks for the first time this entire afternoon, to the surprise of everyone at the table. “And why would you want to meet with us?”

“We’ve heard you’re not the biggest fans of Itachi’s policies, and we were just curious as to why.” Naruto offers casually.

“Well, my boy,” Danzo chortles, “you can just look back through Senate recordings for that. You’re here for something else.”

Naruto makes eye contact with Sasuke.  _ Well, kriff _ , he seems to say,  _ what do we do now? _

_ Watch this, Naruto _ .

“You seem to have stumbled upon the truth,” Sasuke says, and tries to ignore the fact that his back is sweating profusely (that’s his tell). “We do want to speak with you about something different. Are you aware that threats have been made against Itachi’s life?”

“The idiot opened up an anonymous tip box. He was asking for it,” Nagato supplies.

Sasuke’s only coherent thought is:  _ Thank Hells I’m not the only sane one here. _ And then:  _ Implying that Nagato is sane, which he most likely isn’t. _

“I’ve heard a rumor that he’s taking one of the latest ones a little more seriously than normal. Grapevine, and all that,” he adds as Danzo opens his mouth, presumably to ask how he knows. “We were wondering if you were involved in any of it. Not that you seem the kind of person, but because you’ve been such a staunch opponent of his for a while.”

Danzo’s smile turns pensive, and Sasuke can practically see the barely-oiled cogs turning in his head. “Is there a particular reason you’d like to know?”

Naruto’s smile is cocky, cheeky. He acts the part of galaxy-renowned mercenary well when he wants to. “Well, if you are, sir, then we’d like to be involved.”

Danzo’s chosen this moment to take a sip of the Bespin Sparkle he’s been nursing this afternoon, which Sasuke deems unfortunate because he immediately spits it back out. Once he’s recovered (the waiter had rushed over and patted him a few times on the back), a smile creeps back onto his face. “And here I thought you boys were chummy with him! Ah, unfortunately, I am not the mastermind behind this particular scheme, nor is Nagato. A public position such as ours merits that any personal grievances of our own mustn’t be aired, and instead be taken care of quietly. I do wish to congratulate whichever fellow has set off alarm bells in dear Itachi’s head. It must have been quite a threat for him to take it seriously.”

“So I’ve heard, sir,” Naruto responds, and he tips his chin towards Sasuke, who turns off the recording device currently stationed in his pocket. From there, the conversation steers off into less interesting, less pertinent topics, and they both let Danzo talk himself to death before they bid both him and Nagato a polite adieu.

Once they’ve returned to the safety of their transport (the astromech helpfully tells them that traffic has lightened a little, and the trip will only be forty-five minutes instead of the usual fifty), Sasuke sighs and lets the stress of the afternoon loose. He rolls his neck, stretches his arms, and then settles into one of the chairs available. Naruto immediately flops on top of him, and Sasuke groans audibly and shifts so the chair can accommodate them both comfortably.

“You’re kriffing annoying, you know that?” Sasuke mutters, and Naruto just hums in response, smiling into Sasuke’s neck.

“I’m tired, Sasuke. That was hard.”

“For you and me both, asshole. Doesn’t mean you own the rights to my lap. There’s four more seats in this cabin.”

“And somehow, you’re the comfiest.” Naruto pokes his side, and Sasuke flinches momentarily then flicks Naruto in the forehead. “Jackass.”

“Well, at least we know it wasn’t either of those two, right?”

“I never really thought it was, but it’s nice to have confirmation anyways. I think it’s one of the guards, personally. I’ve been watching them pretty closely and there’s one that’s always a little  _ too _ trigger-happy, if you ask me.” Naruto squirms around in Sasuke’s lap, trying to get comfortable. His ass bones dig into the meat of Sasuke’s thighs, and he hisses in pain.

“Get off me.”

Naruto hums again, happy and cheerful. Sasuke hates him. “No can do, babe. I’m stuck here!”

Sasuke grumbles in defeat and relinquishes himself to his fate.

_ Only Naruto _ , he thinks.  _ Always, forever Naruto _ .

\--

By the time they’ve arrived back at Itachi’s office, a full six hours later, they’re both thoroughly exhausted, ready to throw in the towel on the day and pass out in the queen-sized bed that had been oh-so-graciously provided to them.

What they walk into is the complete opposite.

The office is utter chaos—papers have been strewn everywhere, all the guards are in a tizzy, and all the meticulously placed furniture is astray. Sasuke thinks he spots a hole in one of the curtains, still sizzling from the laser that had been fired in that direction. The only thing missing from the scene is Itachi, the man himself. He pulls one of the panicking guards aside and demands, “What the hell is going on here?”

“One of the guards has kidnapped Itachi!”

_ Well, this is just fan-fragging-tastic, isn’t it _ , Sasuke thinks to himself, and pointedly ignores Naruto’s muttered “told you so.” Aloud, he asks: “Which guard?”

“His name was Colmar Farcord! He’s had it out for Itachi since the beginning,” another one adds.

“Why didn’t you kriffing  _ say  _ anything about him then?”

They all look sheepish. “It didn’t cross our minds,” one offers.

“Okay,” Sasuke says, rubbing the wrinkles between his brows. Beside him, Naruto rolls his neck. “We can handle this. Do you have any clue where they went?”

“I saw them head towards the west wing of the building!” Another guard supplies.

“Perfect. Can one of you lead us there?” Naruto asks, his hand coming up to clap Sasuke’s shoulder. He spares Naruto a brief glance and taps his foot on Naruto’s leg.  _ I’m here _ , Naruto says, to which Sasuke responds,  _ I know _ .

One of the hells-damned guards volunteers to lead the way, and soon enough they’re winding through the endless maze of the Senate building. Tapestry falls way to tapestry, and Sasuke’s head is spinning from all the turns they’ve taken. It is totally and truly beyond him how anyone navigates this building on a daily basis, because two days in this shithole have left him baffled.

He can’t really say he’s  _ worried _ about Itachi, per se, because he knows Itachi and he also knows that Itachi can more than handle himself in a blaster on blaster duel. But still, it’s his brother who he’s relearning after a decade of being apart, and if something happened to Itachi while Sasuke had been present and on the  _ fragging scene,  _ he could never forgive himself. It’s a fruitless, effortless struggle inside his body—his heart beating a too-fast rhythm on the inner workings of his ribs, his brain launching from bad outcome to bad outcome like a dog cut loose, his gut rooting him, grounding him, telling him everything is okay, will be okay.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spots another laserhole, no doubt made by the guard in his skirmish with Itachi. Sasuke focuses on his breathing, tries to remain calm like Naruto’s tried to impress upon him over the years.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity and then some, the guard skids to a stop and tilts their head.

“What is it?” Sasuke practically barks.

“Uh,” the guard replies, intelligent in a way only a select few are. Sasuke is so fucking sick. “Look ahead.”

Sasuke fixes his gaze behind the guard and, lo and behold, there’s the asshole himself. Itachi stands there completely untouched, not a single laserhole about him, brushing some dust off the shoulder of his robe with the barest smile on his face. “You’re an asshole, you know that?”

Itachi is far, far too smug for a man that was just kidnapped. Sasuke is equal parts relieved and pissed that he’s okay. “It was all a part of my plan.”

At this, Naruto grimaces. “You sound way too much like a villain when you say that,” he informs Itachi, frowning, and Sasuke can’t help but agree. Itachi probably  _ was _ a villain in another life, what with his penchant for unpleasant surprises and the poker face Sasuke knows he spent years perfecting in the mirror. “And I can’t believe you subjected us to Danzo and Nagato for  _ hours _ . Do you know how much Danzo  _ talks _ ? I thought I was going to die.”

“I had to let Colmar think he was safe, so I sent the two of you away. Lunch with them was the only way to ensure you would be out for hours.” Itachi shrugs, and despite the sense he’s making, Sasuke still finds himself furious.

Sasuke resists the urge to spit at Itachi’s feet. “You’re horrible. You’re a terrible brother.”

“Sasuke, were you worried about me?”

“Yes?!” Sasuke confesses, and at this Itachi startles. It’s clear Sasuke’s sudden admission had caught not just  _ Sasuke _ off-guard, but his brother as well. “Believe it or not, I do still care about you, even though you left for years without explanation. At the end of the day, you’re still my brother.”

“Sasuke, I did not mean to tease,” Itachi starts, and then pauses abruptly. He still looks at a loss for words, and Sasuke finds himself almost sympathizing with him, because kriff knows what the hell either of them should say here. “You are very important to me, and I cherish the relationship we have managed to rebuild in your short time here. I care about you as well, and I would like very much to continue to rebuild what I so foolishly destroyed in my younger years.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Sasuke says with a sigh, and at Naruto’s pointed look, he continues. “You’re not forgiven yet—you’re going to have to work for that. But I’m willing to start ‘rebuilding our relationship’”—here he uses quotation marks—“if you are, too.”

Itachi exhales, visibly relieved, and Sasuke manages yet another (fondly exasperated) sigh, grinning as Naruto hustles over to sling an arm over his shoulder.

Naruto’s smile is the third sun of Tatooine beside him. “Nice going, sweetheart. Proud of you.”

Itachi pauses. “Sweetheart?” He asks curiously. “Are you two together?”

Sasuke rolls his eyes, only a little bit incensed. “‘Are you two together’, he asks. Yes, Itachi, we’re together. We’ve been married for two years now. You know, for the youngest senator to ever grace the halls of this esteemed building, you can be pretty kriffing stupid.”

Itachi’s smile is small, but overwhelmingly fond. “Yes, Sasuke. I know.” And then, softer: “It’s nice to be home.”

As Naruto plants a kiss onto Sasuke’s cheek, his reply is even quieter. “Yeah, Itachi. It is.”

**Author's Note:**

> hello if you have read this far and enjoyed pls consider leaving a kudos, comment, or bookmark!! :) <3 thank you


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